The Russellville Democrat., 1887-03-02
RUssELLvILLE. POPE co. ARK MARCH 2. 1887.
THIRTEENTH YEAR.--NO.
BALCH RAILROAD BILL.
Synopsis of Its Provisions as
Passed by the House.

Synopsis of Its Provisions as
Passed by the House.
The Balch railroad bill as passed
Saturday by the house Of represen
tatives, had no material changes By
amendments engrafted on the bill.
Sec. prohibits any unjust dis
elimination or unreasonable charge
for transportation of passengers OIL
property over any railroad in the
state, making the corporation guilty
Of extortion who makes such unjust
discrimination, and, upon convic-
tion, subject to punishment.
Sec. 2 makes it unlawful for any
person or corporation engaged in the
transportation of passengers OF
property to demand or receive from
any person, firm, company or corpor-
alton any greater or less rate OF
amount of compensation than is de
manded or received from any other
tperson, firm, ETC., for subsi. ntially
the same services, or to allow any
rebate, drawback in any form, or to
make any preference in furnishing
cars or motive power. And all per
sous shall be furnished without dis
elimination or delay equal and sufll-
cient facilities for the transportation
Of passengers or freight.
Sec 8 makes it unlawful for any
railroad company to enter into any
combination for the pooling OF
freight of different railroads, but al
lows railroads to issue at reduced
rates emigrant, excursion or commu
tation tickets.
Section provides that it shall be
unlawful for any railroad to receive
a greater amount of compensation
for shorter than for longer dis
tancc, which includes the shorter
distance, and the road includes all
the railroads in use by it.
Sec 5 requires railroads to keep
posted in one of its depots a schedule
of its rates.
Sec. 6 establishes penalty for vic
lating the provisions of the fore
going sections, that the railroad
shall pay the person damaged three
times the amount of damages sus
tanned.
Sec. 7 to 81 inclusive create a
board of railroad commissioners, de-
fine their duties and prescribe the
extent of their powers.
The commission is to consist Of
three commissioners, no two of
whom shall be from the same con
gressional district; one of the com
missioners shall be a civil engineer,
their term of office to be for four
years, and shall each give bond in
the sum of $4,000. The commits
sloners are to be appointed by the
governor by and with the ADVICE Of
the senate, and receive $4,000 each
per annum salary. They are to have
clerk who is to receive $500 per
annum. Any violation of their duly
or corruption by the commissioners
subject them to fine of not less
than $1,000 nor more than $4,000, re
moval from office and Imprisonment
IN the penitentiary not less than one
and not more than three years.
Within fifteen days after notice
every railroad is required to furnish
the comn,ss, ener with the rate
sheet aud Y of charges foi trans
portation of every kind, asssloLiie
commissioners are to Ana .tarlf. aad
revise them for such railroad and
regulate the chgrges as in their
Judgment justice to the public
and railroads may require. When
decided by the commission they are
to attach u certificate Of its approval
to the tariff Of charges and that shall
be the rate which the railroads shall
charge.
The commission is to hear all
complaints and take testimony and
conduct Investigations In the man
ner which seems TO them best. Rail
roads are to furnish the commission
with all information required rela
tive to the management of their
lines. Each railroad in the state is
to make quarterly returns of its
business to the commission.
The commissioners are to inspect
each railroad in the state at least
once in each year, and have the
power to require any road to repair
any defects In its road.
The office Of the commission shall
be at Little Rock. They are to
make annual reports to the gov
ernor showing the actual working
condition of the entire railway sys
TEN of the state. Amy violation by
railroad OF the tariff of charges
fixed by the commission subjects
it to penalty to be recovered by an
action brought in the name OF the
state IN the county in which the VIC.
lation may occur.
1t is made the daty of the com
mission on the complaint OF any
person to investigate the charges
made against a railroad and take
such action as the facts justify.